Scatterscore: a reconnaissance method to evaluate changes in water quality

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Water Resource Management
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Evaluating periodic water quality data is challenging due to numerous parameters, varied sampling schedules, and differing data magnitudes.
• Existing methods struggle to provide a unified assessment of water quality changes over time.
• Acid mine drainage (AMD) poses significant environmental risks, necessitating effective monitoring strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel quantitative method, the Scatterscore Water Quality Evaluation, for assessing changes in water quality.
• To develop a reconnaissance tool for tracking general water quality trends using historical data.
• To apply the Scatterscore method to evaluate water quality at sites impacted by coal utilization by-products (CUB) used for AMD control.

Main Methods:

• The Scatterscore method compares up-gradient (control) and down-gradient (treatment) water quality data sets across multiple sampling points and time periods.
• It analyzes the relationship between the range of measured values and the ratio of medians for each parameter.
• A Scatterscore is calculated based on the frequency and average values of positive, negative, and random change points.

Main Results:

• The Scatterscore provides a quantitative score indicating the magnitude and direction of overall water quality change.
• The methodology was successfully applied to 20 sites utilizing coal utilization by-products (CUB) for acid mine drainage (AMD) control.
• The Scatterscore effectively synthesizes complex water quality data into an interpretable metric.

Conclusions:

• The Scatterscore Water Quality Evaluation offers a robust and quantitative approach to assessing water quality dynamics.
• This method enhances the evaluation of environmental impacts, particularly in contexts like AMD remediation.
• The Scatterscore serves as a valuable reconnaissance tool for monitoring environmental changes and the efficacy of mitigation strategies.